NOTE 6. PENSION PLAN

The following table presents the net periodic pension cost for WesBanco’s Defined Benefit Pension Plan (the “Plan”) and the related components:

 

		For the Three Months Ended March 31,
(unaudited, in thousands)		2018				2017
Service cost – benefits earned during year		$	699			$	636
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation			1,114				1,084
Expected return on plan assets			(2,204	)			(1,886	)
Amortization of prior service cost			6				6
Amortization of net loss			753				794
Net periodic pension cost		$	368			$	634

The Plan covers all employees of WesBanco and its subsidiaries who were hired on or before August 1, 2007 who satisfy minimum age and length of service requirements, and is not available to employees hired after such date.

A minimum required contribution of $5.1 million is due for 2018, which could be all or partially offset by the Plan’s $56.9 million available credit balance. WesBanco currently expects to make a voluntary contribution of $5.0 million to the Plan in 2018.

WesBanco assumed YCB’s obligation for a predecessor bank’s participation in the Pentegra Defined Benefit Plan for Financial Institutions (“Pentegra Plan”). The participating employer plan has been frozen to new participants since 2002. WesBanco spun off the assets from the Pentegra Plan, contributing approximately $2.8 million to satisfy the estimated final costs to do so. This spin off had no impact on earnings as the liability was included in YCB’s balance sheet as of the acquisition date. The distributed assets from the Pentegra Plan were transferred to a plan providing substantially the same benefits to the participants. The net periodic pension income for this plan for the three months ended March 31, 2018 was $62 thousand, which was comprised of a $0.2 million expected return on plan assets and a $3 thousand recognized net actuarial gain partially offset by a $0.1 million interest cost on projected benefit obligation.

No minimum contribution is due for this plan for fiscal year 2018; however, WesBanco expects to make a voluntary contribution of $0.2 million.